Int. J. Dev. Biol. 52: 377 - 381 (2008)

https://doi.org/10.1387/ijdb.072389ns

Vol 52, Issue 4

Expression of zinc transporter family genes in Dictyostelium

Developmental Expression Pattern | Published: 1 April 2008

Nobuya Sunaga, Meri Monna, Nao Shimada, Mai Tsukamoto and Takefumi Kawata*

Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Toho University, Funabashi, Chiba, Japan

Abstract

Regulation of the zinc ion concentration is physiologically important to control the activities of a variety of cellular molecules. A BLAST search against a conserved domain of known zinc transporters identified twelve putative zinc transporter family genes in the Dictyostelium genome. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the presence of three zinc transporter subfamilies in Dictyostelium. One subfamily of proteins, consisting of the ZntA-D proteins, has weak homology to the STAT3-inducible LIV-1 protein. In addition, in situ hybridization revealed that the zntA-D genes are expressed in the pstAB cells, this expression being absent in the Dd-STATa null mutant. Thus, Dd-STATa may control stalk cell differentiation through some members of the zinc transporter family genes during Dictyostelium development.

Keywords

STAT transcription factor, zinc transporter, cell differentiation, Dictyostelium